Rinku Bhattacharya's Blog, page 75

Well Seasoned Split Pea and Oatmeal Soup

Snow on the rhododendron leaves, with the buds just lightly shriveled missing yesterday’s sunshine.

A robin chirping and dancing on snow capped branches.

First day of spring break, and a right in there with all the inconsistencies is this split pea, squash and oatmeal soup.

I have been wanted to make something savory with steel cut oats for the longest time – actually ever since I saw the commercials for Quaker Oats in India. Not surprisingly, along with their sweet flavors they have two savory flavors – a lemony vegetable and a homestyle masala. Not surprisingly, both these flavors highlight the use of “real vegetables”.

There are other savory oatmeal inspirations, such as the recipes in Kathy Hester’s book, Oatrageous Oatmeal, serve Oatmeal Upma recipe out there, one of my favorite ones being this one from Rak’s kitchen. When I was ready to cobble things together it certainly was past breakfast time, and since I had steel cut oats on hand I wanted to have something that would slow simmer to wonderful goodness. I had split peas soaking on hand, some butternut squash left over and all of this happily came together into this cheery nourishing soup that is great for this slightly dreary and somewhat nippy spring day.

And if you have stopped by my way looking for a meatless Monday dish, well hopefully you are not disappointed. This will take some time to simmer but otherwise, it cooks itself to happy soft comforting perfection. Certainly a keeper. Now my secret ingredient for this dish is a nice helping of mustard oil, if you do not have it in your pantry you can add in a small amount of prepared mustard.

As for the greens, I think any variety of spring greens would work. Score, healthy one dish meal that the kids loved. Dinner ready when I get home. Time to read that book I have been procrastinating on. Actually, I seem to have piled up loads of things, which is surprising for a Monday, but we shall whittle down that pile once I finish this steaming bowl of goodness.

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Well Seasoned Split Pea and Oatmeal Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes

A nourishing well seasoned split pea soup with vegetables, spring greens, ginger and mustard. Comforting, vegan and perfect for a spring Meatless Monday.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons mustard oil
11/2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
2 red onions diced
11/2 tablespoons of minced or grated fresh ginger
2 to 3 green chilies (minced), more or less to taste
11/2 cups of split peas (soaked overnight)
2 cups of cubed butternut squash or any soft vegetable (about 3/4 pound)
1 teaspoon turmeric
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt, more or less to taste
3/4 steel cut oats
1cup of very finely chopped broccoli raab or arugula
1 lime
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro or mint
Smoked Paprika or Sumac to garnish

Instructions

Heat the oil and add in the mustard seeds and wait until the seeds begin to crackle. Add in the cumin seeds and cook for about 30 seconds.
Add in the red onions and ginger and stir well and cook for 4 minutes or so.
Add in the minced green chilies, split peas, butternut squash and turmeric and stir well. Mix in the water and the salt and bring to a simmer and cook for 1 hour until the split peas are fairly soft. Alternately, you can pressure cook them for 15 minutes.
Stir well, add in the steel cut oats and cook for another 40 minutes, until the mixture is fairly smooth and the oats are soft and creamy.
Stir in the brocolli raab and cook for a minute.
Turn off the heat, sprinkle with the lime juice and cilantro or mint.
Serve topped with with smoked paprika or sumac.

Notes

While most of the cooking gets done unattended, you can speed up the cooking time considerably by using a pressure cooker.

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Kolkata Jewish Roast Chicken

I had first shared this recipe here on Yosef’s blog, when he was writing his thoughts on The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles.

I am writing this up again, today not really because I am an Indian giver (after all, you are supposed to keep the guest blog recipes off your site), but really because over time I have further simplified this recipe to a healthier and easier recipe. And, as luck would have it, if you are looking for something different for your passover table this might fit the bill.

I have to confess, all things considered, the flurries today have totally cramped my style. I mean, here I thought spring was all around and beginning to happily settle in and now snow, that too enough to pile on about an inch. Both the kids had birthday parties, so no lunch at home. To make up, I cooked up a warming and nourishing dinner. The best part of this dish really is the onions. As I was reading on a post at the kitchn, good things happen when you cook chicken and vegetables together, and this by the way is their passover menu.

Now, this dish had been adapted from its original form twice over. It was given to me in the form of something called Murg Makallah, which was a marinated fried chicken recipe. Over time, I have realized that this recipe retains enough flavor to stay moist and flavorful during the roasting process, no need for frying. Coming to think of of it, chances are it probably was fried because most Indian homes did not really have ovens, back in the day.

Given the roots of this recipe, I could not help thinking of Passover, and it is possibly serendipity that I blog about it know. The eight-day festival of Passover is celebrated in the early spring, from the 15th through the 22nd of the Hebrew month of Nissan. It commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. And, by following the rituals of Passover, we have the ability to relive and experience the true freedom that our ancestors gained.

Well, while this recipe will not give you the unleavened bread, it does incorporate fenugreek in a very delightful form, so if you are not sure about the bitter herbs part of things this will take care of that bit for you.

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Kolkata Jewish Roast Chicken

Prep Time: 6 hours

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 9 hours

A Kolkata style Jewish roast chicken (my adaptation from an original fried dish)

Ingredients

For the marinade
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
11/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
4 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Salt to taste
1 1-inch piece of fresh peeled ginger
4 pods of garlic
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 whole 3 pound organic chicken skinned
Roasting Vegetables
10 baby potatoes, halved (and peeled, this depends on the potato being used)
1 or 2 sweet potatoes (I use purple)
10 to 20 red pearl onions
2 tablespoons raisins (optional)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

To garnish – lime or lemon slices, lots of chopped cilantro and red pepper or paprika to taste

Instructions

Coarsely pound the cumin, coriander and black peppercorns in a mortar.
Place in the blender and squeeze in the lime juice over the spices.
Add in the salt, sugar and the ginger and garlic and process into a smooth paste.
Rub this mixture over the chicken and set aside for 6 hours in the refrigerator, it can be done up to 2 days ahead.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the chicken in a roasting pan, mix in the turmeric.
Scatter the potatoes. sweet potatoes and onions over the chicken.
Add in the raisins if using, and drizzle with the oil.
Bake the chicken for about 2 and 1/2 hours, occasionally stirring to turn and baste with the juices.The cooking time will depend on the size of the chicken. Make sure to spoon the basting liquid over both the chicken and the vegetables.
Place on a serving dish, garnish with the lemon or lime and cilantro.
Sprinkle with the paprika or red pepper and serve.

Notes

Most of the prep time is for marinating.

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Sweet Potato Gulab Jamun – Ranga Alur Pantua

   In our rush to often complain about the weather, we sometimes miss out the finer things something otherwise known as the silver lining. Indeed, when I saw the snow yesterday, I was not happy! Make that unhappy,I resolved before I went to sleep to work on the vegan version of gulab jamun I had promised Sharanya, and then I remembered Ranga Alur Pantua or Sweet Potato Gulab Jamun. The silver lining here was that the snow made me reach for comfort and in turn we all enjoyed a sweet treat.

The bright sunshine this morning cheered me a little, bringing home some winter memories, the Kolkata winter that is. Expressed beautifully, in this post by Anindya I remembered my own thoughts of winter. Winters in India indeed are synonymous with the lep or bengali comforter, which is routinely sunned before the season and then sunned and put away after winter. One of the things, I used to do with my grandmother was snuggle under the covers in the afternoon and listen to radio dramas, I am not even sure if such a thing exists anymore.

Some of the lines were rather melodramatic, and sometimes lost me (I was probably 4 or 5) but the memories of spending time between my grandparents remained. This dessert is very closely adapted from my cookbook, here I have shaped in round and am calling it pantua, which is the Bengali word for gulab jamun.

It is worth trying to find the pale creamy sweet potato, essentially the Asian variety, which is available in most Indian grocery stores, and for Westchester readers you will find it in H-Mart. This variety is naturally sweeter and also, with a few trial and errors I have found that baking the sweet potato actually results in less moisture and holds better. The coconut filling adds a nice depth of flavor, however, if you are in a rush that can be skipped. I did it without the filling for a recent event and people insisted it was pretty good.

This was one of the last things I learned to make from Dida, and she of course used nolen gur, or date palm jaggery for the syrup. In other recipes, I have used maple syrup in this case I actually use extra cardamoms in the sugar syrup. Now the dish is naturally quite sweet, so I just dunk it very lightly in the syrup and serve it warm.

Six ingredients and optional almonds to garnish- sweet potatoes, coconut, cardamoms, water, sugar and rice flour that is it! Naturally vegan and gluten-free!

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Sweet Potato Gulab Jamun – Ranga Alur Pantua

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

A rustic sweet from the Bengali kitchen, these are sweet potato doughnuts or gulab jamuns stuffed with a cpconut, fried and soaked in cardamom scented syrup. This recipe is great for a vegan variation on gulab jamun.

Ingredients

For the syrup
4 cups of water
2 cups of sugar
4 to 5 pods cardamom, bruised
For the sweet potatoes
4 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound)
3 tablespoons rice flour
For the coconut filling
3/4 cup freshly grated coconut
11/2 tablespoons sugar
Putting it together
Oil for frying
3 tablespoons of milk powder
Oil for frying
Slivered Almonds for garnishing

Instructions

Place the water, sugar and the cardamoms to boil in a heavy bottomed pot and boil for about 15 minutes until the syrup is fairly thick, about a 1/2 strand consistency. The syrup should gently coat the back of a spoon.
While the syrup is cooking, pre-heat the oven and bake the sweet potatoes for 30 minutes, alternately boil until just soft. Note, the sweet potatoes can be boiled or baked ahead of time.
In a heavy bottomed pan, gently cook the coconut and sugar until fragrant and sticky. Cool and shape the mixture into 10 balls. This size is between that of a raisin and a grape. Note, as I mentioned before, this filling can be skipped if desired.
Peel and mash the sweet potato with the rice flour and shape into larger balls, make a deep dent and stuff with the coconut filling and cover. Take care to completely seal the balls. When complete, place in the freezer for 10 minutes
Heat the oil in a heavy wok, add the balls about 3 at a time and fry in a gentle even level on medium low heat. At first let it cook undisturbed for 3 minutes, and then keep turning to allow them to turn uniformly golden. This process will take some time, but do not rush it.
When the balls are crisp and uniformly browned, drain them well and place in the syrup. Let them soak for at least 15 to 20 minutes for a light coating and up to 1 hours for a richer deeper sweetness.Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by ZipList Recipe Plugin2.6http://www.spicechronicles.com/sweet-potato-gulab-jamun-ranga-alur-pantua/

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Aloo Pie and Reflecting on Sweet Hands

In today’s world where a few clicks of the keyboard we have recipes one may wonder why cookbooks exist? Well, I think that there is a certain level of heart and soul that only a cookbook can convey, especially when the book is a personal narrative of a traditional cuisine. It is for those cookbooks, that we still make bookshelves, it is for those recipes that we create room in our kitchens and hearts.

Yes, one such cookbook in my collection is Sweet Hands by Ramin Ganeshram.

Today’s recipe for Aloo pie, is closely adapted from Sweet Hands. In fact, since I have made this quite a popular snack for the kids, the only real adaptation I have made to this is adding a whole lot of spinach to make the dish a little more nutritious.

One of the things that struck me, while reading Ramin’s book, (or really I should say reading it many, many times over) is how we daughters all have a soft spot for the culture and dreams that out father’s gave us. Sure, we reminisce about cooking with mom and grandma, but somewhere the culinary heritage and memories remain a tribute to our fathers as well.

Ramin mention’s her father on various occasions fondly and in the introduction to the mentioned recipe she speaks of how her father slathered a knish with hot sauce to bring back memories of his traditional aloo pie.There are several other interesting anecdotes, classic recipes such as her famous Black Cake and lots of information on the culture of the islands. The book is well designed and nicely

The island cooking of Trinidad and Tobago had strong influences in Indian flavors as there are many people of South Asian ancestry who have peppered the culinary heritage with their foods.

It is for example, not difficult to see some similarity between this recipe and a samosa, you will find similar flavors in the channa and of course many other dishes. So, the aloo pie, is at core the amazingly wonderful goodness of well seasoned mashed potatoes,  seasoned with garlic and pepper sauce (I used sriracha for this dish, encased in dough and fried, simple indulgence at its best. Actually, even with the addition of all that spinach this dish is perfect for this strange and cold evening.

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Aloo Pie and Reflecting on Sweet Hands

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

A recipe for aloo pie, a savory potato pie from Trinidad, this variation has some spinach added in.

Ingredients

For the dough

2 cups of all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Water to form a stiff dough

For the filling

1 pound of yukon gold potatoes, boiled peeled and mashed
3 cloves of minced garlic
11/2 cups of finely chopped wiled spinach (see note)
Sri-racha or hot sauce to taste (1 used about 1 tablespoon)
salt to taste
Oil for frying
Oil for frying

Instructions

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix with enough water to form a firm dough. Set aside.
Mash the potato with the garlic, spinach, hot sauce and the salt to a uniform filling. Note: For the spinach, I chopped it finely and microwaved it for 2 minutes and squeezed out any excess water.
Break a small amount of the dough and roll out to a fairly thin circle, add some filling in the center and cover and seal the dough. Flatten and shape to a oblong shape. I sort of did a semi-circular shape here as I did not know exactly what was needed.
Set aside and complete the remaining dough and filling in this manner.
Heat some oil in a wok or skillet for about 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually fry the pies on medium heat until crisp and golden. These need to be turned once.
Serve hot.

Notes

Recipe from Sweet Hands - Hippocrene Books 2010

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Butternut Squash with Ginger, Rosemary and Toasted Mustard

  So the calendar actually says March, the end of March really, so why I am not cooking asparagus and other cool spring stuff. The reality is that nature does not really work according to our timetable but rather on a clock of its own and this year has been too cold for the season to commence.

Down to our last squash, which we had stored I did something that was a lot of fun with it. It was simple tossed up stir-fry mixing up a jumble of flavors just the way I like it. Well, the good news is that butternut squash brings to your table loads of potassium, fiber and Vitamin A. Not all cooking needs hours of thought and not all creations even those that I share here need loads of time to get together. The ginger and mustard seeds are complementary and paired with the natural sweetness of the squash, the rosemary with its distinct earthy notes was a wildcard that brought the simple stir-fry together. While I did manage to sneak in a little lime juice, I stayed away from adding my usual staple cilantro to the process.

So, without much drama or ado here is this simple recipe from my kitchen table to yours. I have been working on my presentation for the New York Public Library. I have been oscillating between excitement and nervousness through the whole thing. NYPL is one of my favorite places to be, and, while it is just another presentation this one is special for me. So, think of color, sweetness and do say a wish for me as you try out this very simple recipe.

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Butternut Squash with Ginger, Rosemary and Toasted Mustard

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

A colorful and super-easy stir fry with winter squash and a few little spices.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
2 teaspoons grated ginger
2 cloves minced garlic
1 pound of butternut squash, cubed
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
Fresh Lemon Juice to sprinkle

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large skillet and add in the black mustard seeds and wait until the seeds begin to crackle. Add in the ginger and garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
Add in the butternut squash and mix well. Cover and cook the mixture on medium low heat for about 5 to 7 minutes until the squash is tender.
Garnish with the rosemary and sprinkle with lemon juice before serving.
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Lime and Coconut Mixed Vegetable Stew

Today has been about alliterations and reflections, all happening while this beautiful delicate vegetable, tofu and black-eyed pea stew was simmering on the stove creating a one-dish bowl of nourishing goodness, something that might end up being too mild for the father and will be much appreciated by the kids. This recipe really is inspired by the Keralian dish called Olan, which is a black-eyed pea stew with coconut milk and ginger and is usually enjoyed as a part of a vegetarian spread called Sadya.

Well, the alliterations were mostly thinking of “m” words to pair with Monday, so we have Meatless Monday, which is now a fixture on Spice Chronicles but how about some others that discuss the mood of the moment, so Moody Monday, Moody Motivational Monday are two that describe the state of affairs this morning. I think I ended up a little short on sleep yesterday, thanks to getting organized for the Engineering Expo and I feel a little tired, just left with that need to catch up, a wee bit on the sleep routine.

Sunday was such a picture perfect, albeit cold morning, it was almost too pretty to be indoors. I have learned after being on numerous trips, it makes sense to pack the kids a to go meal rather than rely of over-priced cafeteria food. A few sandwiches, makes all the difference between making the day a better one. Having gotten into the routine of generally packing the kids meals, they take lunch from home about 2 to 3 days a week and we usually carry food for these expos and events, all of this makes me realize how much though mom put into packing my lunch as she had a very picky eater on her hands. I can understand the overpriced, but cannot get the rubbish sold in the name of food.

Down to the stew on hand, it makes a great one-dish meal and a perfect lunchbox item. The nuance of tastes result from star anise and ginger, I actually did not have curry leaves around and I have exercised restraint with the coconut milk, which is rather rich and so a little goes a long way. I have been stretching the amount of coconut milk and have found that the recipes taste closer to the real deal, since original recipes tend to be derived from coconuts usually one coconut covering at least a couple of meals. When we work with cans, we are almost side-tracked into believing that we need to use up an entire can to conjure up a meal. Other things that got added into the mix was parsnips, cauliflower, kale and small tomatoes and of course the tofu, creating a meal that might help you manage the chills on this almost unseasonably cold spring day, that deludes you with the sun, until you head out to feel the cold weather.

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Lime and Coconut Mixed Vegetable Stew

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

A spring like meal, with mixed vegetables and black-eyed peas simmered in a fragrant lime and coconut sauce

Ingredients

2 tablespoons oil (coconut, if you have it is perfect for this meal)
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
A few curry leaves (optional)
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
3/4 cup whole coconut milk
¾ cup black-eyed peas, soaked for an hour
11/2 cups of water
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
½ teaspoon red cayenne
1 cup chopped cauliflower
1 cup cubed extra firm tofu (can be paneer)
1 cup cubed parsnips or turnips
½ teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
1 to 2 pieces star anise
1 large stick cinnamon
1/3 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
3/4 cup chopped greens such as kale

Instructions

Heat the oil and add in the mustard seeds and wait until the seeds begin to crackle, (usually takes about 30 seconds, in hot oil), add in the curry leaves (if using) and the finely chopped ginger and stir well.
Add in the coconut milk and the black eyed peas with the water salt and cayenne pepper and if using a pressure cooker, cook until pressure for about 5 minutes. If you are working with a regular simmer pot, cover and simmer on low for about 40 minutes until the black eyed peas are fairly tender.
Stir and add in the cauliflower, tofu and turnips, with the black pepper, star anise and cinnamon and simmer until the vegetables are tender.
Add in the tomatoes and the kale, and cook for another five minutes until the tomatoes are somewhat softened and the greens are wilted.
You can remove the whole spices if desired before serving.

Notes

It is important to soak the black-eyed peas, you can cut down the cooking time by using a pressure cooker.

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Greenburgh Library Cookbook Meetup

  The past few months with the cookbooks have been fun, I have enjoyed talking and sharing spices and what the tastes of Indian really up like. In my meanderings, I have enjoyed also some book clubs that I have participated in. In the interest of a Last In First Out (LIFO) mechanism, let me tell you I was really thrilled and honored to be a part of the Greenburgh Libraries Meetup Group.

The way this group works is that they pick a theme (and this week, it was Indian Cooking!) and the participant pick books and cook and critique their way through it. As I sat through the  process, much as I enjoyed the food, as an author it was invaluable for me to heat the feedback on the cookbooks, Especially since so many of these books have been a part of my table and life. Some of the highlights and comments, and books that were on my radar. (Just as a general disclaimer, have not worked with all these books, so I am going on here say, having said this, it was still education to get to some of these comments. First out,

1.New Indian Home Cooking There was an addictive coconut Burfi, that has made me crave and want to make my coconut burfi, from The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles. the problem here was apparently the book recommended a recipe for rice pudding or kheer using skim milk and the user had a difficult time with that one. Now than I can understand, skim milk, rice pudding not sure about that one.

2. There was a deep and rich tasting chicken curry from Madhur Jaffrey’s from Curries to Kebabs, the user found the book very easy to use, and I love the Kerala Chicken curry made from the book.

3. Indian Home Cooking: Given someone was working from my dear friend Suvir’s book, I though this would be a slam dunk, turns out that the recipe called for pink lentils, for mooshoorir dal. The recipe was really good, but I have to confess, the color really is more like orange or red.

4. Dakshin: My all time favorite book, given my son’s addiction to dosas, I thought this one would be a slam dunk, the irony of life is that, if there is one typo in a book, someone will find and obsess upon it, and in deed that was the case. I found this so informative and useful. I think that I might just join the next next meetup.

Here is wishing you and yours a happy spring and rest of the week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Ginger Chicken Soup with Radishes

This Ginger chicken soup with radishes might seem like a far Eastern creation, but it is in fact influenced by flavors from a Northeast Indian experience. The Northeast of India is a small segment of the country consisting of seven small states, collectively known as the seven sisters. The states are Sikkim, Tripura, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Assam and Mizoram. The cuisine of these regions is still not completely integrated into the mainstream of the rest of the country. Of course, certain dishes such the gently spiced dumplings called momos and spicy noodle soups such as the Thupka are well into the fabric of Indian cuisine, leaving us still waiting to explore some of the other dishes.

Today’s recipe is actually inspired by a soup I had enjoyed at a Mizo household many moon’s back, and I will tell you that in this case the world inspired is truly a matter of culinary interpretation, because the original recipe was made of mini meatballs and did have a heavier sauce, but what rests in common between these two is the use of the soy sauce and the large amount of ginger.

Seasonings like this that are both powerful and simple all at once, are the hallmark of flavors of North Eastern India, a region not surprisingly is influenced by their neighbors not unlike the rest of India. There are a lot of fermented fish and beans that are salted and also added in as needed to offer some flavor to the cooking of the North East.

In this soup, the ginger is simmered for a long period of time and almost mellows and turns somewhat sweet in the process resulting in a soup like gravy that is very soothing in these suddenly cool temperatures that we have been having. In walking along NYC, as I always do to head into work, I am noticing the little shrubs and early daffodils poking their heads out, valiantly trying to usher in spring. The temperatures might be chilly but I have certainly been enjoying the beautiful and brilliant sunshine, and I refuse to accept that there might be a chance of snow.

Radishes, spring onions, chives all are harbingers of spring weather, in this this soup along with the ginger there are radishes and scallions that have been added to make the medley more substantial, and interesting. As with a lot of my cooking there is always room for lime and cilantro.  I used chilies sparingly in this recipe, but if you like it spicier by all means up the heat.

I always have rice around the house and adding in just a little to add body and depth to this gently recipe also tastes good! I originally had thought of adding noodles, but did not want to clutter the light soup with too much heaviness.

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Ginger Chicken Soup with Radishes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: Serves 4

A perky soup with most of its flavors from fresh ginger. This ginger chicken soup with radishes is perfect for a cool spring evening.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil
1/3 cup finely minced ginger (do not use ginger paste)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/3 cup chopped scallion whites (reserve the greens for serving)
1/4 cup tamari
2 cups of chicken broth
2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken cut into small pieces
2 cups of chicken broth
1/3 cup of mirin (sweet rice wine)
1 tablespoon minced green chilies (seeds removed)
1 cup of thinly sliced radishes
3 tablespoons lime juice (juice of about 1 lime)

to garnish and serve

Chopped scallions
Chopped cilantro
Cooked rice

Instructions

Heat the oil and add in the ginger, garlic and scallion whites and cook lightly for about 2 minutes.
Add in the tamari, chicken, chicken broth, rice wine and the chilies and bring the soup to a simmer and simmer on medium heat for 45 minutes to an hour.
Add in the sliced radishes and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice.
Serve in large bowls garnished with the scallions, cilantro and rice. Enjoy the crisp flavors.Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by ZipList Recipe Plugin2.6http://www.spicechronicles.com/ginger-chicken-soup-with-radishes/

 

 

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Chickpeas and Mushrooms in a Carmelized Onion and Tomato Sauce (Meatless Monday)

Well, Well, Well, it is Monday again, and I am all set for posting you a Meatless Monday recipe that happens to also be vegan. This is my homegrown recipe for a Choley Dingri Dopiaza, or Chickpeas and Mushroom in a Caramelized Onion and Tomato Sauce. At this rate, I might actually start getting good at posting on target deadlines, can you just imagine?

This dish is wholesome, easy and bursting with protein and fairly easy to put together. It is something that I can definitely handle without much fuss and fanfare on a Monday evening and looks like the family approved of this homey dish.

The weekend left me unexpectedly without a wisdom tooth as well as feeling traumatized and unwise after the experience. Mental note to self, this is the last time I trust a dentist… He called me in for deep cleaning and sent me home without the wisdom teeth.

Oh well, several hours post Novocain, I realized some activity on twitter, and on exploration I realized that Spices and Seasons was the finalist in the Foreword Review Awards. Now, I do realize that the Indie set of awards are much like a consolation for us little people who cannot dream to make it to the big leagues, nonetheless there is enough of a quality selection there to feel good about being shortlisted by the people who actually wrote my most favorite review of the book.

A weekend when time affords consists of a decent amount of cooking to allow me to get a head start on the week. I had these chickpeas all laid out because I had cooked them for a demo at the New Rochelle library. I was super thrilled at how well the crowds lapped up my rajma and mushroom and chickpea pilaf, even persuaded them to buy some of the books! The rest of the dish is mostly about onions, another basic ingredient that you cannot go wrong with. A do-piazza is a dish of Mughal decent that relies on loads of slow cooked onions for its base, hence the name do-piazza or double onions. Since in this instance, I was cooking it up with chickpeas and woody cremeni mushrooms (also known as Baby Bella mushrooms), I did not add too much else to season the gravy and it had delicate sweet notes, with a touch of smokiness from the cumin and coriander. The kids do not typically relish the mushrooms but this went down pretty well. What this dish calls for is soft homemade chapattis, the kind my mom makes, I just have to make to with my version, which is getting better every day. I will tell you my story with this essential bread someday

The grow lights are on, the pots are ready even though our daffodils are no-where in sight it certainly is beginning to feel that winter might be on its way out. There is always something about a Monday (after a good amount of sleep) that promises a fresh and new beginning, an opportunity to set things right one week at a time.

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Chickpeas and Mushrooms in a Carmelized Onion and Tomato Sauce (Meatless Monday)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

A hearty and delectable melange of chickpeas and mushrooms that is a breeze to put together.

Ingredients

2 to 3 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
2 medium sized red onions, finely diced
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 cup of cooked chickpeas
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon powdered cumin
¾ teaspoon powdered coriander
¾ teaspoon powdered red cayenne pepper
½ pound of halved cremini or button mushrooms
¾ cup chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro or more to taste

Instructions

Heat the oil and add in the whole cumin seeds and wait until the seeds begin to sizzle. Add in the red onions and cook the onions until they soften, stirring occasionally until they turn golden.
Stir in the ginger.
Add in the chickpeas, and the turmeric, cumin, coriander and red cayenne pepper and mix well.
Add in the mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes until the mushrooms wilt slightly and turn darker.
Add in the chopped tomatoes and salt and cook for five minutes until the mixture is soft and saucy.
Mix well, check for seasonings and add in the cilantro and serve.
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Poha – A well loved Sunday Breakfast

  So, what do you have for breakfast? This was a casual question that was asked at one of the author talks I was giving. She went a little further, I mean you do not eat eggs and bacon, right? Well, I told her, inherently not eggs and bacon, but eggs, yes! My favorite, everyday pick me up still is the masala omelette featured here, but then there are other desi breakfasts that I enjoy, that I  have picked up along this journey that I call life, that are quintessentially Indian and treats reserved for weekend breakfasts.

Poha, a traditional breakfast dish made with flattened rice grains called chidwa, poha or chirey (in Bengali) is one of them. The Bengali variation of this dish is called chirer pulao, and I have a recipe in The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles and here is a great version on Pree’s blog.

Today’s recipe is one that I have picked up from my mother-in-law’s North Indian kitchen and has been on my mind as I am riffling through my memories and pictures of Delhi. The North Indian version is a slightly simpler version and in our household it all about peanuts, as the daughter looks forward to picking out the peanuts from her share. In summer, I also add fresh and ripe tomatoes to the mix.  This is one of the most common home style breakfasts, with two other that I must try every time I visit. In winter in Delhi a classic treat is the Nagori Halwa-a rich semolina halwa served in a crispy shell. Of course, the best kind only found in Old Delhi.

Then there is the channa kulcha, the Delhi breakfast variety is different from the Punjabi one, and is a ubiquitous street food found at all times of the day, simple whole peas served with tamarind, ginger and a soft white bread.

The kulcha with the chickpeas, I sort of can throw together and will someday post, it is less loved than the poha which really is just as comforting and satisfies all.

I tend to use the thin poha for my recipe, also usually use the white variety. If you want a little more heft and feel you want a whole grain version, there are brown poha and thick poha varieties and you can use the soaking method prescribed in this recipe, here.

The general lay of spices are very simple, at a bare basic, you can get away with the turmeric, cayenne and cumin with some ginger and onions, but to get to a well nuanced result throw in some mustard seeds and asafoetida for good results. BTW, my mother-in-law actually makes this without the onions and just relies on the asafoetida and ginger for flavor.

Well, as I say at the end of the day, a homey recipe really is all about the cooks interpretation and how he or she chooses to handle it. As for the vegetables, really depending on what you have around in summer, you can throw in finely chopped bell pepper too!

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Poha – A well loved Sunday Breakfast

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings

A delightful Sunday brunch item that is perfect anytime of the day.

Ingredients

Ingredients

2 tablespoons oil
3/4 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon asafetida (hing)
1 small red onion, diced
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 medium sized potato (preferably, a yukon gold), cut into a small dice
1 medium sized carrot, peeled and diced to match the potato,
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon red cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1 medium sized tomato, finely chopped (optional)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
3/4 cup of green peas (can be frozen)
1/4 cup of blanched unsalted peanuts
11/2 cups of thin poha (see notes for other varieties)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 medium lime)
Lime wedges for serving

Instructions

Heat the oil and add in the black mustard seeds and cook until the seeds crackle. Add in the whole cumin seeds and then the asafetida.
Add in the onions and cook on medium heat, stirring frequently until the onion softens and begins to start turning softly golden. This will take about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger and cook for another minute.
Add in the potato and carrot with the salt and cayenne pepper and mix well. Add in 1/2 cup of water, cover and cook for five minutes until the vegetables are fairly soft and the mixture is still moist.
Add in the tomato if using and stir in the turmeric and green peas.
While this is cooking, lightly toast the peanuts in a skillet until they are fragrant, this can be done at any point in the game and take about 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in the peanuts and add about 1/4 additional cup of water (just enough to moisten, not drench) the poha.
Add in the poha and mix well. If you are using thin poha the mixture should soften almost immediately, if it is still dry add in a little water a tablespoon at a time.
Stir well. Sprinkle with the cilantro and lime juice and serve with additional lime wedges and a cup of tea.
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